Paul T. Hofmann
  • Hofmann & Schweitzer
  • 212 W 35th St, Fl 12 New York, NY 10001
  • 212-465-8840

With over 30 years experience in tort litigation, Paul T. Hofmann, partner with the law firm of Hofmann & Schweitzer, stands tall as a champion for victims whose lives are forever changed. He has resolved hundreds of personal injury and wrongful death suits, through settlements and scores of jury verdicts. He has gotten over a hundred million dollars in recoveries for his clients which places him in an elite group of multi-million dollar advocates.

Paul specializes in personal injury matters, with special emphasis on construction accidentsmaritime injury law (Jones Act and Longshore Harbor Workers), railroad accidents and other personal injury matters.

NYC Construction Accident Lawyer Paul Hofmann

Perseverance and determination are the firm's guiding principles. As managing partner, Paul insists that the assigned attorney personally visit the client's accident site to develop an understanding of why the event happened. Further, attorneys are required to return any client's call within 24 hours. Existing clients and potential clients are often surprised to get phone calls and email replies from Paul after working hours and on weekends. Personal service sets Paul and the firm apart from many other plaintiffs firms. Each client is entitled to be treated as if his/her claim is the only one that matters. "Our mission is to maximize each client's recovery by thorough research, preparation and creative presentation."

Paul's passion for representing working men and women is not only recognized by his clients but also by his peers who voted and selected him for inclusion as a New York Super Lawyer since 2006 to the present.

Experienced Construction Accident Lawyer Paul Hofmann

Attorney Paul Hofmann's 10 Year Super Lawyers BadgePaul T. Hofmann has been counsel representing the party making new, and important additions to the body of maritime, construction and railroad law. The extent of his experience and knowledge is exemplified in the myriad of cases he has handled which have resulted in reported decisions. Below is a non-exclusive list of many of the major cases he has handled which resulted in reported decisions.  These decisions show the nature of the diversity of maritime law, construction law and personal injury litigation topics with which he has developed expertise.

Areas of Practice

Litigation Percentage

  • 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

  • New York, 1982
  • New Jersey, 1981
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1985
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 1986
  • U.S. District Court District of New Jersey, 1981
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1982
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 1982

Education

  • New York Law School, New York, New York
    • J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence - 1981
  • Rutgers University
    • BA Communications - 1975

Published Works

  • Claims Arising on Government Vessels, ATLA Admiralty Section Newsletter, An analysis of the requirements and pitfalls in handling claims against government owned or operated vessels., 1992
  • The Legacy of Miles, Yamaha, Amtrack and Others., Tulane University Law School Maritime Law Journal, An Analytical Framework for Maritime Preemption Cases Involving Wrongful Death Damages, 1999

Representative Cases

  • Deisler v. McCormack Aggregates, Co., 54 F.3d 1074, 1087 (3rd Cir. 1995)
  • Brogan v. United New York Sandy Hook Pilots' Association, Inc., 213 F.Supp.2d 432 (D.N.J. 2002)
  • Abbud v. City of New York, 1997 WL 633463 (S.D.N.Y. 1998) affd 159 F.3d 1345 (1998)
  • Olsen v. James Miller Marine Service, Inc., 791 N.Y.S.2d 92
  • Cammon v. City of New York, 95 N.Y.2d 583 (2000) rehearing denied, 96 N.Y.2d 793 (Ct. App. 2001)
  • Eriksen v. Long Island Lighting Co., 236 A.D.2d 439 (2d Dept. 1997)
  • Becker v. Poling Transportation Corp., 356 F.3d 381 (2d Cir. 2004)
  • Garner v. Energy Transportation Corporation,1996 U.S. App. LEXIS 15368 (2d Cir. 1996)
  • Marcic v. Reinauer Transportation , 397 F.3d 120 (2d Cir. 2005)
  • Dahingo v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., 312 F.Supp. 2d 440 (S.D.N.Y. 2004)
  • Wesley v. City of New York, 2010 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 6815
  • Razo v. Nordic Empress Shipping, Inc. 2009 U.S. App. LEXIS 23713 (3d Cir. 2009)
  • Harrison v. State of New York, 88 A.D.3d 951 (2d Dept. 2011)
  • Lee v. Astoria Generating Co., L.P., 55 A.D.3d 124 (1st Dept. 2010) reversed by Lee v. Astoria Generating Co., L.P., 13 N.Y.3d 382, cert. denied --- U.S. ----, 131 S.Ct. 215 (2011)
  • Aragona v. State of New York, 74 A.D.3d 1260 (2d Dept. 2010)
  • Rodriquez-Alvarez v. Bermuda Star Lines, 898 F.2d 312 (2d Cir. 1990)
  • Aggarao v. MOL Ship Management, Inc., 675 F.3d 355 (4th Cir. 2012)
  • Olsen v. Reinauer Transportation Companies, L.P., 300 A.D.2d 76 (1st Dept. 2002)
  • Angeles v. Norwegian Cruise Lines, Inc., 2002 WL 1997898 (S.D.N.Y., 2002)
  • Guenther v. Sedco, Inc., 1998 WL 898349 (S.D.N.Y. 1998)
  • Calcaterra v. City of New York, 45 A.D.3d 270 (1st Dept. 2007)
  • Coppinger v. Metro-North Commuter Railroad, 861 F.2d 33 (2d Cir. 1988)

Classes/Seminars

  • 1989 Guest Lecturer, University of Glasgow, School of Law
  • "Comparative American and Scottish Civil Procedure"
  • 1993 ATLA Annual Convention Lecture
  • "Use of Professional and Regulatory Standards to Prove Liability in Maritime Personal Injury Cases"
  • 1999 Delegate to the U.S. Committee
  • Negotiations for Draft Hague Convention on Foreign Jurisdiction and Enforcement of Judgments
  • The Hague, Netherlands
  • 2002 ATLA Winter Convention Lecture
  • Claims Arising on Government Vessels
  • 2004 Lecture, New Jersey - Institute for Continuing Legal Education (I.C.L.E.)
  • "From Sea To Sky", A general overview of maritime personal injury claims
  • 2007 Lecture to Maritime Law Association
  • Thoughts on the Legal Decision in the Staten Island Ferry Crash - a Plaintiff's Personal Injury Attorney's Perspective
  • 2008 AAJ Convention Lecture and Paper
  • "The ISM Code's Applicability to, and Benefits for, Injured Maritime Claimants"
  • 2010 New York County Lawyer's Association Lecture
  • "Is the Jones Act Dead for the Foreign Seaman? Some Current Topics in Application of the Jones Act and General Maritime Law to a Foreign Seafarer's Personal Injury Claim"
  • 2011 Lee V. Astoria Generating - its Impact on Cammon v. City of New York, New York's Labor Law and the Issue of Preemption under the Longshore and Harborsworkers compensation Act ("LHWCA')

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • American Association for Justice
  • Admiralty
  • Admiralty Executive Committee
  • Active Participation in Many Policy Making Decisions
  • Assisted AAJ in Legislative Attempts to Modify Death on High Seas Act
  • Protect the Seaman's Wage Act for Cruise lines Class Actions, Section Chairman, 1997 - 1998
  • Protect the Seaman's Wage Act for Cruise lines Class Actions., Section Vice-Chairman, 1996 - 1997
  • Protect the Seaman's Wage Act for Cruise lines Class Actions., Section Secretary, 1995 - 1996
  • Railroad, 1995-present
  • New Jersey Bar Association
  • New York State Trial Lawyers Association
  • New Jersey Association for Justice
  • Maritime Law Association of the United States, Secretary Maritime Torts Section
  • New Jersey Association of Rail Passengers, Member and Legal Advisor